http://news.metrohealth.org/
en-usTue, 20 Nov 2018 01:38:27 +0100Mon, 19 Nov 2018 17:11:55 +0100http://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1878.pnghttp://news.metrohealth.org/
144MetroHealth patients get free turkeys for Thanksgivinghttp://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-patients-get-free-turkeys-for-thanksgiving/
http://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-patients-get-free-turkeys-for-thanksgiving/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

The turkeys were donated to MetroHealth by the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging (WRAAA), who joined in to help distribute them. Akram Boutros, MD, President and CEO, also joined the social work team to hand out the birds.

The turkeys were a welcome pre-Thanksgiving gift, as evidenced by the smiles on the recipients' faces in the pictures above.

Thanks to the WRAAA for thinking about our patients, and for our social workers who stepped up to the plate on short notice to help out.

Our friends at the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging put together a video collage of the giveaway:

]]>ReleaseMon, 19 Nov 2018 11:07:27 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_turkeys5-388545.jpg?10000MetroHealth Named 2018 CHIME HealthCare’s Most Wired Recipienthttp://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-named-2018-chime-healthcares-most-wired-recipient/
http://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-named-2018-chime-healthcares-most-wired-recipient/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>The MetroHealth System has been named a 2018 CHIME Healthcare’s Most Wired recipient. The program recognizes best practices in health care information technology and the role these measures play in improving patient care and outcomes.

“Being recognized for the fifth year in a row as one of the nation’s ‘Most Wired’ health care systems is an exceptional accomplishment and a measure that shows excellence in Information Technology. The new technologies we have deployed help us provide better care for our patients and the communities we serve,” says David Fiser, Vice President, Chief Information Officer. The Information Services and Clinical Informatics Departments constantly strive to improve our technologies, and this recognition reflects the strong working relationship these teams have with our clinicians, Fiser adds.

HealthCare’s Most Wired, now in its 20th year, traditionally tracked the adoption of health care IT in hospitals and health systems. The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) took over the Most Wired program and revised the survey questions and methodology this year to highlight strengths and gaps in the industry. The goal is to identify best practices and promote the strategic use of healthcare IT to elevate the health and care of communities around the world.

“Healthcare IT has the potential to revolutionize care around the world, but to meet that potential it must be used strategically,” said Russell Branzell, president and CEO of CHIME. “The technology is important, but leadership and a strategic vision are equally important. The diversity of the organizations that earned Most Wired status this year shows quality care can be achieved almost anywhere under the right leadership. By sharing the best practices in Most Wired, we hope quality care will one day be available everywhere.”

]]>Press,Release,headlineMon, 12 Nov 2018 14:34:41 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_chimemost-wiredlogo2018-219396.jpg?10000Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine Joins Prevent Blindness, Ohio Vision Professionals Board to Warn Against Dangerous Cosmetic Contact Lenseshttp://news.metrohealth.org/ohio-attorney-general-mike-dewine-joins-prevent-blindness-ohio-vision-professionals-board-to-warn-against-dangerous-cosmetic-contact-lenses/
http://news.metrohealth.org/ohio-attorney-general-mike-dewine-joins-prevent-blindness-ohio-vision-professionals-board-to-warn-against-dangerous-cosmetic-contact-lenses/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>Columbus, OH (Oct. 18, 2018) – Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, The Ohio Affiliate of Prevent Blindness, and the Ohio Vision Professionals Board have joined forces to warn consumers about the dangers of wearing decorative contact lenses without a valid prescription this Halloween season.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 45 million people in the United States wear contact lenses. Many consumers may not be aware that contact lenses are medical devices and are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) through the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Additionally, the FDA states that contact lenses are not over-the-counter (OTC) devices and companies that sell them as such are misbranding the device and violating Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations by selling contact lenses without having a valid prescription.

"Wearing contacts without a prescription could cause damage to a person's eyes," Attorney General DeWine said. "Non-prescription contacts can add creativity to a costume or bring convenience to a person's routine, but they can also cause serious harm. I encourage consumers to buy contacts from a licensed eye care professional. Your eyesight is too important to risk using non-prescription contacts."

Kathleen Eagan, Executive Director of the Ohio Vision Professionals Board, says, “The Ohio Vision Professionals Board takes the dangers of buying over-the-counter contact lenses very seriously. We are proud to partner with Prevent Blindness on efforts to educate the public about the dangers of illegal contact sales without the benefit of professional evaluation and instruction on the proper care and wearing of contact lenses. If you are aware of illegal contact dispensing we encourage you to notify the Vision Professionals Board.”

Contact lenses are a good option for many as an alternative to eyeglasses. However, the use of contact lenses also brings a higher risk of infections. Causes may include sleeping in lenses when not approved by an eye doctor, not cleaning the lenses or lens case properly, sharing lenses, or wearing contact lenses during water activities.

Ill-fitting lenses can cause eye pain, bacterial infections, and corneal ulcers. One study found that wearing decorative lenses increased the risk for developing keratitis, a potentially blinding infection that causes an ulcer in the eye. This increased risk was over 16 times more likely than those seen in vision correcting (“regular”) lenses.

“It may be tempting to create a unique look for Halloween or other social events by changing the look of your eyes. But beware that using cosmetic contact lenses accessed without a prescription from an eye doctor or borrowed from someone else is asking for trouble. Infections, scarring and even blindness can result,” said Sherry Williams, President and CEO of The Ohio Affiliate of Prevent Blindness.

“I’ve seen many young patients who were not aware of the dangers of these products and are now living with permanent vision loss,” said Thomas L. Steinemann, MD, Professor of Ophthalmology at Case Western Reserve University/MetroHealth Medical Center and a Prevent Blindness volunteer. “Even if the lenses are cosmetic or non-correcting, they are still classified as medical devices and should only be prescribed by an eye care professional.”

Always visit a licensed eye care professional to be fitted for cosmetic contact lenses.

Never buy contact lenses without a prescription.

Always clean and disinfect contact lenses according to instructions.

Always use water-soluble cosmetics or those labeled safe for use with contact lenses. Do not apply skin creams or moisturizers too close to the eyes.

Never wear opaque lenses if you have any problems with night vision.

Never share or trade your contact lenses with anyone.

Seek medical attention right away and remove your contact lenses if your eyes are red or have ongoing pain or discharge. Be watchful about your children’s or teens’ appearance. If they are wearing cosmetic contacts, question them about where they obtained them.

Attorney General DeWine encourages Ohioans to report illegal sales of contact lenses to the Ohio Vision Professionals Board at 614-466-9709. As a U.S. Senator, DeWine sponsored the legislation that requires consumers to obtain a prescription from a licensed professional to purchase contact lenses, including corrective and non-corrective lenses.

]]>Press,ReleaseThu, 25 Oct 2018 10:39:09 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_blackmarketcontactlensdisplayphotocreditfda.jpg?10000Attorney General DeWine Awards MetroHealth $1.5 million for Trauma Recovery Centerhttp://news.metrohealth.org/attorney-general-dewine-awards-metrohealth--15-million-for-trauma-recovery-center/
http://news.metrohealth.org/attorney-general-dewine-awards-metrohealth--15-million-for-trauma-recovery-center/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>(Cleveland, Ohio) – The MetroHealth System’s Trauma Recovery Center has received a $1.5 million grant as part of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine’s allocation of grants to crime victim service providers. MetroHealth’s Trauma Recovery Center provides counseling, financial help and other special care for victims of violent crime. The Center recognizes that healing means more than what happens inside the hospital.

Over the next 12 months, MetroHealth will use the grant money to expand capacity and programming for the Trauma Recovery Center, which includes victim service support and trauma-focused counseling. The funding will also support art therapists, counselors and MetroHealth’s faith-based work. An additional four therapists and five social workers will be added to the Trauma Recovery Center staff.

The grant dollars will also create new services for the School Health Program, new training for the SANE program, additional support for the Alpha Clinic and Child Advocacy Center. Additionally, the funds will support Arts in Medicine initiatives and vocational rehabilitation including job support and job training.

The SANE program trains and educates nurses to specialize in the care of sexual assault victims. It will receive $200,000 of the grant money, with $50,000 dedicated to more specialized training for its nurses to continue providing coordinated care to pediatric and adult victims of sexual assault 24 hours a day.

“We are honored to receive this grant from Attorney General Dewine. It is a reflection of the amazing work our team does to address the needs of people experiencing pervasive trauma in the community and in their lives,” said Sarah Hendrickson, manager of survivor recovery services. “We’re committed to MetroHealth’s mission and these dollars allow us the opportunity to go above and beyond for our patients and survivors.”

Since the Trauma Recovery Services program launched in 2017, more than 4,000 patients have been screened for trauma-related resources.

]]>Press,Release,headlineMon, 15 Oct 2018 14:59:54 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_traumagrantphoto.jpg?10000Mercy Health – Lorain and The MetroHealth System Partner to Open Level III Trauma Centerhttp://news.metrohealth.org/mercy-health--lorain-and-the-metrohealth-system-partner-to-open-level-iii-trauma-center/
http://news.metrohealth.org/mercy-health--lorain-and-the-metrohealth-system-partner-to-open-level-iii-trauma-center/Coming together to strengthen careThe MetroHealth System and Mercy Health Lorain Hospital are partnering to bring a Level III Trauma Center to the residents of Lorain County. This is the first time that the more than 300,000 residents within the county’s limits have had access to trauma expertise in their home county.

The new trauma center will be located at Mercy Health Lorain Hospital on Kolbe Road and will be based upon MetroHealth’s nationally recognized trauma program. MetroHealth and Mercy Health Lorain will seek Level III Trauma Center verification from the American College of Surgeons. Upon approval, MetroHealth trauma surgeons will rotate at Mercy Health Lorain to provide 24/7 trauma care. In addition, a MetroHealth Medical Director and Trauma Coordinator will provide oversight on the day-to-day operations of the center. MetroHealth will provide training and education for Mercy Health Lorain nurses and other staff to build upon Mercy’s high-quality, compassionate care model for patients with traumatic injuries.

According to the American Trauma Society, a Level III Trauma Center has demonstrated an ability to provide “prompt assessment, resuscitation, surgery, intensive care and stabilization of injured patients and emergency operations.” Level III Trauma Centers include 24-hour immediate coverage by emergency medicine physicians and the prompt availability of general surgeons and anesthesiologists. More information about Level III Trauma Centers can be found here.

“This partnership will allow expert trauma care to be available for those living in Lorain County that has before, never been offered,” said Dr. Gil Palmer, Chief Medical Officer for Mercy Health – Lorain. “At Mercy, we are always looking at ways to adapt and respond to the needs of the families we serve. There was a gap in the county where a trauma program would fit and now, we have worked to bring one to life,” Palmer added.

“We are honored to expand our services to Lorain County and to provide trauma care at Mercy Health. This partnership will save lives and keep patients close to their families and loved ones as they recover,” said Bernard Boulanger, MD, executive vice president and chief clinical officer at MetroHealth.

MetroHealth’s air transport system, Metro Life Flight, has a Lorain County base and currently takes patients with the most severe traumatic injuries to MetroHealth’s Level I Adult Trauma Center in Cleveland. This coverage, when coupled with Mercy Health Lorain’s high-quality care delivery and expertly trained staff, allows people to access world-class care right at home.

“This partnership is one of like-minded organizations,” added Dr. Palmer. “MetroHealth’s nationally recognized trauma program allows us at Mercy Health to enhance not only the level of care, but matches our nurses and physicians level of expertise.”

]]>press,releasesWed, 10 Oct 2018 13:33:53 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_traumagenericpic.jpg?10000Fisher Titus and MetroHealth to Collaborate on Providing Trauma Care to Patientshttp://news.metrohealth.org/fisher-titus-and-metrohealth-to-collaborate-on-providing-trauma-care-to-patients/
http://news.metrohealth.org/fisher-titus-and-metrohealth-to-collaborate-on-providing-trauma-care-to-patients/Fisher-Titus Health and The MetroHealth System are announcing plans to collaborate on trauma services. As part of this partnership, aMetroHealth team that includes physician and operational leadership will begin to co-manage the Level III trauma program at Fisher-Titus starting this fall.

Early in 2019, specialized MetroHealth trauma surgeons will begin working in coordination with Fisher-Titus physicians and staff to provide trauma care for patients. A MetroHealth Medical Director and Trauma Coordinator will manage day-to-day trauma operations for patients. This is the first time MetroHealth will provide its expert trauma services to residents of Huron County.

Fisher-Titus is a Level III Trauma Center, a designation which was earned in 2009. As a Level III Trauma Center, surgical specialists are available 24 hours a day to provide comprehensive care to patients with traumatic injuriesand to coordinate transfers to a higher-level trauma facility when warranted. MetroHealth has a Level I Adult Trauma Center and a Level II Pediatric Trauma Center at its main campus in Cleveland.

“We are honored to expand our services to Huron County and to provide trauma care at Fisher-Titus Medical Center. This partnership will save lives and keep patients close to their families and loved ones as they recover,” said Bernard Boulanger, MD, executive vice president and chief clinical officer at MetroHealth.

“We are excited to partner with this locally and nationally recognized provider of trauma care,” said Brent Burkey, MD, president, Fisher-Titus Health. “Through this collaboration, more trauma patients will be able to receive care at Fisher-Titus and remain in our community rather than being referred to another city.”

]]>press,releasesWed, 10 Oct 2018 13:31:34 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_pavilion10-15hres-.jpg?10000MetroHealth Partners with Recovery Resourceshttp://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-acquires-recovery-resources/
http://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-acquires-recovery-resources/The MetroHealth System and Recovery Resources have agreed that MetroHealth will acquire Recovery Resources to enable both parties to collaborate on behavioral health and addiction services. The partnership expands services for the community, allowing current Recovery Resources’ clients and MetroHealth patients to receive coordinated care for mental illness, alcoholism, drug and other addictions.

MetroHealth patients will be able to receive specialized care for behavioral health and addiction disorders from Recovery Resources professionals. Clients under the care of Recovery Resources will have access to MetroHealth services, linking them to additional primary care and preventive care options.

MetroHealth and Recovery Resources share similar missions serving Cuyahoga County’s most vulnerable residents. In 2017, MetroHealth created an Office of Opioid Safety, to address the growing opioid addiction problem. Recovery Resources has been serving clients with mental illness, alcohol and drug addictions since 1955.

“Partnering with Recovery Resources will help us expand our reach and breadth into Cuyahoga County to our region’s most disenfranchised community. There is no time in our history where the need has been greater to battle addiction. The expertise and experience of Recovery Resources, coupled with MetroHealth’s superior health care services for at-risk populations will enable us to connect with patients in ways that will impact our community for generations to come,” said Akram Boutros, MD, President and CEO, The MetroHealth System.

“With the leadership and support of a strong Board of Trustees, Recovery Resources is committed to ensuring that individuals and families affected by mental health and addiction disorders are embraced by a care continuum that addresses both behavioral and physical health needs,” said Pamela Gill, RN, MA, President and Chief Executive Officer, Recovery Resources. “We are excited to join with MetroHealth to build upon our existing primary care partnership and together create a comprehensive and holistic model for those we serve.”

Recovery Resources will maintain its separate nonprofit status and operating structure under the MetroHealth umbrella. Under the agreement, Recovery Resources Board of Directors will include some current members of Recovery Resources as well as those nominated by MetroHealth.

]]>Press,ReleaseTue, 02 Oct 2018 14:00:00 -0400https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1878.png?10000MetroHealth to Receive $5.5 million for Saving Money in its Care for Seniorshttp://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-to-receive-55-million-for-saving-money-in-its-care-for-seniors/
http://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-to-receive-55-million-for-saving-money-in-its-care-for-seniors/Ranked on top nationally for ACOsMetroHealth’s Accountable Care Organization had the largest savings rate in Ohio, at 10.2 percent below Center for Medicare and Medicaid CMS’ benchmark. As a result, MetroHealth saved the federal government $8.6 million and received $5.5 million as its share of the savings. MetroHealth is the only ACO in Northern Ohio that earned shared savings this year, and the savings rank in the top five percent in the nation and third in the nation among others with similar risk profiles.

CMS sets up quality and financial benchmarks for each ACO. For a health system to receive a portion of the savings, they have to spend less than the benchmarks in the care of its senior patients. These thresholds demonstrate achievement of high-quality care and wiser spending of health care dollars.

MetroHealth’s Population Health Innovation Institute led the cost savings and quality improvement initiatives. The team included doctors, nurses and care coordinators who focused on patient outreach and providing care in different ways.

“The important message here is that The Institute develops programs that help people stay healthy and navigate through the health system easier. The Institute focuses on process, including care coordination for every single patient enrolled in the ACO, as we operate under the principle that no patient should be left behind,” said Nabil Chehade, MD, MSBS, Senior Vice President of Population Health and Chair of the MetroHealth Care Partners ACO Governing Board.

Medicare ACOs are groups of doctors, hospitals and other health care providers who come together voluntarily to provide coordinated care to their Medicare patients. The goal is to ensure that patients, especially the chronically ill, get the right care at the right time while avoiding unnecessary duplication of services and preventing medical errors.

The MetroHealth System began MetroHealth Care Partners in January 2014. In that time, it has continued to improve its performance and has increased its portion of shared savings year over year. The performance year 2017 was the best so far since the start of MetroHealth Care Partners.

]]>Press,ReleaseTue, 11 Sep 2018 13:31:41 -0400https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1878.png?10000MetroHealth and Urban Community School to partnerhttp://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-and-urban-community-school-to-partner/
http://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-and-urban-community-school-to-partner/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>The MetroHealth System and Urban Community School (UCS) are pleased to announce that they have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a community and school health center on the UCS campus. The partnership will enhance access to health care resources for UCS children and their families, UCS faculty, staff and their families, and the surrounding community.

Urban Community School plans to construct a new clinic building on its campus, located at 4909 Lorain Avenue. Initially, services will include primary care, pediatrics, behavioral health, a Hispanic Culture Health Clinic and a new service, MetroExpressCare, offering non-emergency room treatment for urgent health issues. MetroHealth will relocate a portion of its Family Medicine Department from its West 25th Street location to the new clinic building on the UCS campus. Construction is set to start in early 2019.

In addition, the building will include access to nutritional consultation, legal support, food access, Moms First program, a WIC office and a Reach Out and Read program.

At UCS, MetroHealth will operate the school’s clinic during school hours, eliminating many barriers to care for children and families. Services inside of the school will include immunizations, screenings, same-day sick care appointments, and primary and behavioral health care with services for children impacted by trauma,. Launched in 2013, MetroHealth’s School Health Program is currently offered to students at 13 Cleveland Metropolitan School District locations.

“As an Ursuline-sponsored school and under the guidance of a strong board of trustees, our commitment has always been to serve the whole child with the hope of meeting the needs of the entire family,” said Tom Gill, president of Urban Community School. “Health is an essential element of this commitment. We are thrilled to be partnering with MetroHealth to build what we believe will be an innovative and effective school-based health model. We also see ourselves as an anchor in the community and believe the overall impact on our community’s health is mission critical as well.”

“I am delighted the UCS Board and management have selected MetroHealth as their partner in this important endeavor. Their holistic focus on young people’s social, emotional, spiritual and physical development perfectly aligns with MetroHealth’s mission for the community. Together, we will create healthier neighbors and healthier neighborhoods,” said Akram Boutros, MD, FACHE, president and CEO of MetroHealth. “Urban Community School’s long history of collaboration, innovation and success increases the probability of sustainable impact on a community in need.”

The new health care services are planned to start in 2020.

]]>Press,ReleaseMon, 30 Jul 2018 09:13:36 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_ucs50thlogo-2.jpg?10000Supplier Diversity Workshop Held for Transformationhttp://news.metrohealth.org/supplier-diversity-workshop-held-for-transformation/
http://news.metrohealth.org/supplier-diversity-workshop-held-for-transformation/On Tuesday, July 17, we hosted approximately 70 potential diverse supplier representatives at a “How to Do Business with MetroHealth” event. The event was designed to raise awareness of Metrohealth’s goals and objectives around supplier diversity and to increase opportunities for our diverse business enterprises to quote or bid on goods, supplies, equipment and services solicited by MetroHealth’s Supply Chain and Construction Planning/Campus Transformation departments.

In the discussion, Paul Martucci said MetroHealth’s economic impact in the local community as a whole is significant. "It is important to us," said Martucci, "that minorities, women, veterans and the LGBT community have access to those opportunities in order to build their capacity."

A Q&A session on how to do business with MetroHealth followed the discussion. Those attending had the opportunity to network in the Rammelkamp Atrium with members of the contracting and supplier diversity team. In all, there were more than 45 participating LGBTQ, women, minority small and local business enterprises.

]]>Press,Release,TransformationFri, 27 Jul 2018 13:53:08 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_img-0674.jpg?10000MetroHealth Launches Podcast Dedicated to the Opioid Epidemichttp://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-launches-podcast-dedicated-to-the-opioid-epidemic/
http://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-launches-podcast-dedicated-to-the-opioid-epidemic/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>MetroHealth has launched its first-ever podcast, “Prescription for Hope.”

The first season will feature six episodes focusing on the opioid crisis and how the people at MetroHealth are working to battle the epidemic.

Find the podcast by searching for “MetroHealth” in your favorite podcast app. Listen on your desktop with the links below. You can also tell your Amazon device, “Alexa, play ‘Prescription for Hope’ podcast.”

“Prescription for Hope” is produced by MetroHealth’s communications team.

]]>Press,Release,headlineFri, 06 Jul 2018 12:02:49 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_7-2-2018prescriptionforhope.jpg?10000MetroHealth Unveils New Hospital Design at Annual Stakeholders Meetinghttp://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-unveils-new-hospital-design-at-annual-stakeholders-meeting/
http://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-unveils-new-hospital-design-at-annual-stakeholders-meeting/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>At its annual Stakeholders Meeting today, The MetroHealth System unveiled the design of its new hospital planned for the West 25th Street main campus. The design includes a new 11-story hospital joined to the existing Critical Care Pavilion (CCP) and an abundance of green space for the community.

The new hospital will have private patient rooms, designed to enhance the patient and family experience. The rooms will have floor-to-ceiling windows with ample space for family to stay overnight, and mirror the esthetics of the rooms in the CCP and MetroHealth’s new hospitals in Cleveland Heights and Parma, which opened in January 2018. All rooms have Intensive Care Unit capabilities, with flexibility for surge capacity, allowing MetroHealth to double its occupancy if necessary. In total, MetroHealth will have 450 patient rooms throughout the entire health system.

The CCP will eventually become home to MetroHealth’s Department of Labor and Delivery and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), with a new dedicated entryway for these patients and families. The CCP’s existing ICU rooms will move into the new hospital. The new Pediatric Unit will have indoor and outdoor activity space, with a planned rooftop terrace for patients and families.

The hospital will have a front door entrance facing West, accessible from Scranton Road. A two-story front lobby will include a dining area, gift shop and open space to allow for community performances from groups including local choirs and ballet companies. An “on stage/off stage” concept will be used for traffic flow, with staff and patients and family members using separate elevators.

In addition to the physical transformation of its main campus, MetroHealth is committed to improving the health of its community and is leading a revitalization of the West 25th Street corridor. Plans include the world’s first hospital-led EcoDistrict, partnerships with public, private, nonprofit and civic entities, a housing incentive program to help employees live closer to work and enhancements to public transportation and infrastructure (the RTA MetroHealth Line).

The project is being financed by $946 million in hospital-revenue bonds sold in May 2017 by MetroHealth on its own credit. No taxpayer money will be used for the project. A $100 million fundraising campaign will support community programs and development of expanded campus green space.

MetroHealth is committed to diversity in its hiring practices and plans to have more than 30 percent of the workforce led by local and minority-owned businesses. According to a report from Cleveland State University’s Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, MetroHealth’s Transformation plan may support up to 5,618 new and existing jobs that could result in $873.3 million in total output of economic benefit for Cuyahoga County. The study says the city of Cleveland would see most of the impact, with more than 3,200 jobs supported and a total economic benefit of more than $513 million.

MetroHealth plans to break ground on the hospital at the end of 2018.

]]>Press,Release,headlineFri, 29 Jun 2018 10:00:00 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_01.jpg?10000The MetroHealth System Slashes Opioid Prescribing by 3 Millionhttp://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-slashes-opioid-prescribing-by-3-million/
http://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-slashes-opioid-prescribing-by-3-million/Opens Pain and Healing Center as alternative to pain managementThe MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>MetroHealth doctors and nurse practitioners prescribed 3 million fewer opioid pills in the past 18 months, a reduction the health system believes to be one of the highest in the nation. Specifically, MetroHealth providers reduced the number of opioid pills prescribed by 62 percent for acute pain, and 25 percent for chronic pain.

To support patients who are in pain, the health system has also opened a Pain & Healing Center to provide alternatives to the addictive medication that kills, on average, 115 Americans every day.

“We’ve been tackling the opioid epidemic for a long time. Not until recently, did we recognize that providers can do a lot more,” said Akram Boutros, MD, FACHE, president and CEO of MetroHealth. “We want to be an example. We want to do better and start fixing the problem. If everyone followed our example, we would reduce the number of opioids prescribed in the United States by 4 billion pills annually, in the next 18 months.”

The reduction was achieved through MetroHealth’s electronic medical record system, which now alerts prescribers to patients who may be at risk of addiction, guiding them toward alternative medications, lower dosages and other options for treatment. The electronic medical record also offers to add a Naloxone prescription when prescribing opioids, an alert that has led to a 5,000 percent increase in Naloxone prescribing in the past three months.

In addition, every provider in the health system licensed to prescribe narcotics has undergone training to learn new ways for treating patients with chronic or acute pain. All providers attended mandatory town hall meetings to identify processes and tools for safe opioid prescribing, and to learn how to integrate tools to lower drug misuse while promoting effective patient adherence to drug regimens.

A safe opioid prescribing simulation program was developed for providers to practice crucial conversations with patients who may be seeking opioids. In these simulations, providers learned how to address difficult behaviors and illicit drug use and manage patients already on high-dose opioids. In addition, providers were educated about alternative options for pain management, including non-opioid medication or other therapies.

MetroHealth has opened a Pain & Healing Center, created to reduce opioid prescriptions and offer patients safe and effective alternatives for pain management.

The Center brings together many different therapies and specialists to help patients handle their pain without the use of opioids. Acupuncture, infusion therapy, reiki, pain management, neurology, psychology and psychiatry are among the therapies and specialty services offered.

“It was important for MetroHealth to step up and reduce the stream of opioids into the community, while also offering our patients pain relief through other measures,” said Dr. Boutros. “Patients welcome the ability to have non-opioid options available.”

These initiatives are all part of MetroHealth’s Office of Opioid Safety, which opened in 2017. Its mission is to promote opioid safety throughout the health system and in the greater community through education, advocacy and treatment.

]]>Press,Release,headlineFri, 29 Jun 2018 10:00:00 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_stockccp.jpg?10000New affiliation between CWRU’s Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing and The MetroHealth System expands research, education opportunities for studentshttp://news.metrohealth.org/new-affiliation-between-cwrus--frances-payne-bolton-school-of-nursing-and-the-metrohealth-system--expands-research-education-opportunities-for-students/
http://news.metrohealth.org/new-affiliation-between-cwrus--frances-payne-bolton-school-of-nursing-and-the-metrohealth-system--expands-research-education-opportunities-for-students/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

Under the new affiliation agreement, CWRU nursing students will train and conduct research at MetroHealth’s main hospital on West 25th Street in Cleveland.

Specifically, the affiliation will align training experiences for CWRU undergraduate and advanced practice nursing students with clinical experts across specialty areas throughout MetroHealth.

“This is good for basic practice, this is good for public health and this is good for science that informs practice,” said Mary Terhaar, associate dean of academic affairs at the Case Western Reserve School of Nursing. “This is a true academic-practice partnership that will be better for not only teaching, but for patient care.”

MetroHealth’s Chief Nursing Officer Melissa Kline will serve as an associate dean for clinical affairs at the CWRU nursing school. She will oversee the clinical component of the academic activities for the school within the hospital system, according to the affiliation agreement.

“The Case Western Reserve School of Nursing is an excellent partner and we look forward to our continued relationship with them to train the nurses of tomorrow,” said Kline. “The collaboration provides excellent opportunities for our future leaders in health care.”

The agreement will provide for specific types of faculty designation for nurses at MetroHealth who actively participate in collaborative training, education, and research with CWRU students and faculty. The two institutions also will explore future opportunities for collaboration.

CWRU and MetroHealth have long maintained an affiliation through CWRU’s School of Medicine and other health-related schools and centers within the university. The most recent was a new affiliation with the Case Western Reserve School of Dental Medicine in late 2017.

“All of that shows that, as an institution, we’re moving forward in meaningful ways with an interprofessional education model,” Terhaar said. “And that’s good for everyone.”

]]>Press,Release,headlineWed, 20 Jun 2018 09:35:00 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_mh-panorama3-test-retnocrain.jpg?10000MetroHealth Names Alan Nevel Chief Diversity and Human Resources Officerhttp://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-names-alan-nevel-chief-diversity-and-human-resources-officer/
http://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-names-alan-nevel-chief-diversity-and-human-resources-officer/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

In this integrated leadership role, Nevel will drive the human resources strategy to attract, retain and motivate a highly engaged workforce to implement MetroHealth’s mission while leading diversity, inclusion, cultural competency and work-life strategies to empower employees.

A native Clevelander, Nevel brings over 20 years of experience in successfully guiding Fortune 500 organizations through large-scale cultural transformation. His management expertise includes driving the development and implementation of best-in-class strategies in Diversity and Inclusion, Human Resources, Organizational Change Management, Leadership and Talent Development.

“Alan comes to MetroHealth at the most transformative time in our 181-year history. His experience in leading change will enable our organization to anticipate challenges that come with change and adapt quickly to meet the needs of our patients and employees,” said Akram Boutros, MD, President and CEO.

Nevel joins MetroHealth after serving as Vice President, Global Diversity and Inclusion for Thermo Fisher Scientific, a Waltham, MA-based $20B global life sciences solutions, specialty diagnostics and laboratory equipment company with more than 70,000 employees in 60 countries.

Prior to joining Thermo Fisher Scientific in 2012, Alan served in Diversity and Inclusion, HR Strategy Delivery, Talent Development, and Organizational Change Management roles for eight years at the Columbus, OH-based specialty fashion retailer L Brands, with over 100,000 employees.

Nevel began his professional career in R&D and manufacturing at The Sherwin-Williams Company before moving to a management consulting career with Andersen Consulting/Accenture where he worked on large-scale organizational transformation, supply chain process improvement and organizational change management projects.

Nevel received his BA in Liberal Studies from Cleveland State University and his MBA from Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management.

]]>Press,Release,headlineMon, 18 Jun 2018 17:15:02 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_alannevelportrait.jpg?10000The MetroHealth System and Cuyahoga Community College Partner to Launch Year of Programs Dedicated to Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.http://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-and-cuyahoga-community-college-partner-to-launch-year-of-programs-dedicated-to-rev-martin-luther-king-jr/
http://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-and-cuyahoga-community-college-partner-to-launch-year-of-programs-dedicated-to-rev-martin-luther-king-jr/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. The MetroHealth System and Cuyahoga Community College will host a series of programs in honor of Rev. King and his commitment to social and economic justice.

The first event is The Dream Endures, a conversation between Leon Bibb and the Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr. The event will be held Tuesday, June 19, at 4:00 p.m. in Scott Auditorium at MetroHealth’s main campus, 2500 MetroHealth Drive, Cleveland, Ohio.

Rev. Moss, the pastor emeritus of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church, is a lifelong civil rights activist who knew and worked with Dr. King. Mr. Bibb is nationally known for forging the way for African American journalists in print and broadcasting.

The two will discuss Dr. King’s memory and legacy 50 years after his death, and what still needs to be done to fully achieve his famous dream.

Registration is free, but required. RSVP by June 15 to mlkevents@metrohealth.org

The event is free and open to the public.

]]>Press,Release,headlineThu, 14 Jun 2018 15:46:31 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_6-7-2018thedreamenduresaconversation.jpg?100002018 Cleveland Heritage Medal Recipients Namedhttp://news.metrohealth.org/2018-cleveland-heritage-medal-recipients-named/
http://news.metrohealth.org/2018-cleveland-heritage-medal-recipients-named/Four community leaders will be honored in November The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

The Cleveland Heritage Medal was established in 2016 as the highest civilian award in Greater Cleveland. Modeled after the Presidential Medal of Freedom, it recognizes those who have made meritorious contributions to the welfare and development of Cleveland and its citizens and who, as role models, represent the core values of service to others, teamwork, courage, respect, and inclusion and diversity.

The Cleveland Heritage Medal will be bestowed upon the honorees during a luncheon on Thursday, November 15, 2018. Serving as master of ceremonies will be Russ Mitchell, the managing editor of the evening news and lead anchor at WKYC.

More information about the Cleveland Heritage Medal can be found at heritagemedal.com.

]]>Press,Release,headlineMon, 11 Jun 2018 12:00:00 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_clevelandheiritagemedal.jpg?10000MetroHealth Foundation Names New Executive Committee http://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-foundation-names-new-executive-committee/
http://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-foundation-names-new-executive-committee/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

The executive committee members were elected during the Foundation’s annual meeting, held May 31.

Mr. O’Neill has been a member of the Foundation Board since 2009. He is chair of the Business Department of the law firm of Tucker Ellis, LLP., which comprises all of the firm’s business and transactional lawyers. He joined the firm in 2012.

His practice focuses on representing public and private companies and private equity funds in structuring and negotiating corporate mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, management buyouts, joint ventures, and going-private transactions. He also advises on structuring corporate transactions and corporate governance matters.

Previously Mr. O’Neill was a partner at Ulmer & Berne, LLP, where he served on the firm’s management committee and as chair of the firm’s business department. He also was a partner at McDonald Hopkins Burke & Haber Co., LPA, where he served on the firm’s management committee and headed the firm’s banking practice.

Mr. O’Neill is a graduate of Ohio State University and Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.

]]>Press,ReleaseWed, 06 Jun 2018 01:00:00 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_stockpicoftowers.jpg?10000Bernie Moreno Companies' "Keys for Kids" to benefit kids programs at NEO hospitalshttp://news.metrohealth.org/bernie-moreno-companies-keys-for-kids-to-benefit-kids-programs-at-neo-hospitals/
http://news.metrohealth.org/bernie-moreno-companies-keys-for-kids-to-benefit-kids-programs-at-neo-hospitals/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

Bernie Moreno Companies today unveiled “Keys for Kids,” a yearlong campaign to support children’s initiatives at Northeast Ohio’s three large hospital systems: Cleveland Clinic, The MetroHealth System and University Hospitals.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of every new and used vehicle purchased at Mercedes-Benz of North Olmsted, Porsche of North Olmsted and Cleveland Motorsports will be donated to the “Keys for Kids” program, the first of its kind in Northeast Ohio.

During the first round of the program – the months of June, July and August – donations will help fund MetroHealth’s School Health Program, which provides health care to students inside 13 Cleveland public schools.

Later in 2018 and into 2019, the second and third rounds of “Keys for Kids” will benefit Cleveland Clinic’s Children’s and University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's.

“Whether it’s a second-grader getting an annual check-up during her school day because of Metro, a 5-year-old boy getting groundbreaking cancer care at the Clinic or a preemie thriving at Rainbow, our community’s children deserve the gift of the best health care possible,” says Bernie Moreno. “‘Keys for Kids’ is a way for us and our clients to help provide that gift.

“The clients of Bernie Moreno Companies love luxury, style and our award-winning customer service, but they also love helping our community. We are proud to give them the chance with “Keys for Kids,” Moreno says.

For more information, contact Ralph Stawicki, Director of Marketing, at 440-567-9144 or Erin Oddis, Community Relations, 440-716-2700 x2520.

]]>Press,Release,headlineWed, 30 May 2018 16:21:57 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_keysforkidsconcepts-mh-print.jpg?10000Tenth Annual Hy-5 Race to Benefit MetroHealthhttp://news.metrohealth.org/tenth-annual-hy-5-race-to-benefit-metrohealth/
http://news.metrohealth.org/tenth-annual-hy-5-race-to-benefit-metrohealth/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>The 2018 Hy-5 Race, Hyland’s annual 5K run and 1-mile walk, marks its 10th year of raising funds for The MetroHealth System. Since its inception in 2009, the event hosted by Hyland has raised more than $200,000 for MetroHealth.

The Hy-5 will take place on Saturday, May 19, 2018, at Hyland’s global headquarters at 28500 Clemens Road, Westlake. A chip-timed 5K run will begin at 9 a.m., followed by a family and dog-friendly 1-mile walk starting at 9:05 a.m.

Money raised from previous Hy-5 races have benefitted key programs and services at MetroHealth, including its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Arts in Medicine. A significant portion of the funds raised this year will benefit the MetroHealth Transformation.

MetroHealth President and CEO, Akram Boutros, MD, FACHE, will join Hyland President and CEO Bill Priemer, and Hyland Executive Vice President and Chief Product & Strategy Officer Brenda K. Kirk, in greeting participants before the event and distributing water at one of the route’s water stops. Kirk is also chair of The MetroHealth Foundation Board of Directors.

Hyland marked National High-5 Day, on Thursday, April 19, 2018, with a registration event at its Westlake campus. A second registration drive will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, April 30, 2018.

For information about the Hy-5, or to register for the race, visit the Hermes site.

]]>Press,ReleaseFri, 18 May 2018 11:38:10 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_5-3-2018hy52018.jpg?10000The MetroHealth System to Launch “Open Tables” to Transform the Lives of Those Living in its Neighborhoodhttp://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-to-launch-open-tables-to--transform-the-lives-of-those-living-in-its-neighborhood/
http://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-to-launch-open-tables-to--transform-the-lives-of-those-living-in-its-neighborhood/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>As part of its promise to improve the health of the community, The MetroHealth System is adopting the Open Table model to impact the lives of those living in and around its neighborhood. The health system has committed to launching 15 Tables, providing a support system and resources to those in need of creating change in their lives.

Traditionally used by churches and businesses to create a family of support around young people, MetroHealth will be the first health system in the nation to adopt the Open Table model and use it on a larger population. A program manager will identify local families in need of support, and community members will be invited to sponsor the Tables. A few Tables will be Spanish-speaking, ensuring those in the Hispanic community around MetroHealth’s West 25th Street main campus are served.

“Open Table knows that those struggling financially don’t need our worn-out clothes or the toys our kids have outgrown. They need us. They need people at their side to provide encouragement and friendship, to help them set goals and reach them,” said Akram Boutros, MD, FACHE, president and CEO of MetroHealth. “Open Table and MetroHealth have that in common. We know relationships are what build healthy people and healthy communities.”

Each Table will be comprised of six to eight volunteers who will commit to helping a family for one year, meeting with them on a weekly basis. The group acts as a team of supporters and advocates, using their professional and personal experiences to provide guidance in a non-judgmental space.

“Open Table has been a life-changing experience for me, showing that love and compassion really can make a difference in all of our lives,” said Sharon Bechtel, a MetroHealth employee and current volunteer on an Open Table organized through her church. “Open Table brings people together in an environment of love and support and I encourage everyone to consider becoming a part of this amazing program.”

"I'm thrilled to have this partnership with MetroHealth to help expand the scope of work being done using the national Open Table model here in Cleveland. The health system’s leadership and willingness to reach and serve a broader array of families impacted by poverty will expand the movement and help to lift up even more people in Cleveland,” said Amber Donovan, LISW-S, executive director, Community of Hope and Cuyahoga County director of the Open Table Initiative, focused on young adults aging out of foster care. “We go further when we go together and it’s great to have MetroHealth join me in the transformative work of helping to create a community where we invest our time by building relationships that nurture hope and restore dignity."MetroHealth is currently forming its framework for the program and plans to launch the first Tables in the fall. More information about the Open Table model can be here.

]]>Press,ReleaseMon, 23 Apr 2018 14:49:19 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_stockpicoftowers.jpg?10000The MetroHealth System’s Office of Opioid Safety Launches Quick Response Teams as Part of Hope after Overdose Outreach Projecthttp://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-systems-office-of-opioid-safety-launches-quick-response-teams-as-part-of-hope-after-overdose-outreach-project/
http://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-systems-office-of-opioid-safety-launches-quick-response-teams-as-part-of-hope-after-overdose-outreach-project/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>As part of its ongoing efforts to respond to the opioid epidemic in Cuyahoga County, MetroHealth’s Office of Opioid Safety is launching two opioid Quick Response Teams.

Part of the Office’s Hope after Overdose Outreach Project (HOOP), the Quick Response Teams will partner with the Westshore Enforcement Bureau (WEB) and the City of Parma Police Department. The teams will be made up of a MetroHealth social worker and a police officer from the partnering departments and will work directly in the communities they serve.

Using public record information and police cooperation, Quick Response Teams will attempt to contact victims and their families at their homes within seven days of a documented overdose. The home visits are not meant to be punitive follow-ups. Instead, the teams will provide information and direct pathways to treatment and education on overdose response, including free overdose-reversing naloxone kits. If survivors are prepared to enter treatment, Quick Response Teams will coordinate community resources to begin that referral process.

The Quick Response Teams purposely pair social workers with police officers. Police departments are often among the first agencies to respond to overdoses. By including partners from WEB and the City of Parma, the teams will be able to reach victims with support and resources faster. Additionally, police representatives build rapport within communities.

“Overdoses often go unreported because of fear of punishment. The Quick Response Teams will try to minimize these fears,” said Joan Papp, MD, emergency medicine physician and medical director of MetroHealth’s Office of Opioid Safety. “If those fighting addiction and their families feel comfortable reaching out for help, they will be much more likely to seek help during an emergency, resources after an overdose and, eventually, treatment.”

HOOP and the Quick Response Teams are funded by a multi-year $1.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). In addition to funding for the Quick Response Teams, the SAMHSA grant provides resources to equip more police departments across Cuyahoga County with naloxone, training resources and education about addiction and treatment. To learn more about the SAMHSA grant, click here.

In fact, transgender people face an unemployment rate that’s nearly double that of the wider population. That’s why MetroHealth is partnering with other local businesses to host the fourth annual Northeast Ohio Transgender Job Fair on Saturday, May 12, at 9 a.m. at MetroHealth’s main campus, 2500 MetroHealth Drive, Cleveland. The event is free and anyone can attend.

Attendees will be able to network with employers and connect with community resources and professional development opportunities. The day kicks off with a free hot breakfast at 8:00 a.m. Ohio Representative Nickie Antonio will deliver this year’s keynote address. Representative Antonio became the first openly gay member of the Ohio General Assembly when she took office in 2011.

In addition to MetroHealth, businesses like PNC, Giant Eagle, the Cleveland Metroparks, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Hyland Software and Starbucks will be on hand to meet with potential applicants. Click here for an up-to-date list of participating employers.

Ready to sign up? You can register as a participant here. And if you’re worried you’re not ready for the fair, we’re also hosting a resume clinic and job fair readiness event Tuesday, May 1 at 4:30 p.m. Come to MetroHealth’s main campus to meet with resume and interviewing experts who will get you ready to put your best foot forward at the actual job fair. PNC recruiters will also be there to share what they look for in potential candidates.

We’re looking for additional employers and community organizations interested in attending and meeting with candidates. If you want your business at the fair, click here to sign up.

]]>Feature,ReleaseFri, 13 Apr 2018 12:00:00 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_4-12-20182018transgenderjobfair.jpg?10000Physician Couple’s Leadership Gift to Provide Six Endowments for The MetroHealth Systemhttp://news.metrohealth.org/physician-couples-leadership-gift-to-provide--six-endowments-for-the-metrohealth-system/
http://news.metrohealth.org/physician-couples-leadership-gift-to-provide--six-endowments-for-the-metrohealth-system/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>Two longtime MetroHealth physicians have made a substantial leadership gift to The MetroHealth System’s campus transformation. It is the largest individual gift in MetroHealth’s history, and the first lead contribution to the five-year, $100 million philanthropic campaign, “For All of Us.”

The gift from Alfred F. Connors, Jr., MD, and Mildred Lam, MD, will establish three endowed research professorships and one endowed teaching fellowship as tributes to their parents. Two additional endowed research professorships, named after Dr. Connors and Dr. Lam, will be created by their estate. The endowments will be housed at MetroHealth in cooperation with Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine.

A matching gift program component also will be added; Dr. Connors and Dr. Lam, who live in Shaker Heights, say they want to extend the impact of their gift by encouraging others to donate to the campaign.

Dr. Connors, a Cleveland native and graduate of the Medical College of Ohio, currently serves as interim chair of the department of medicine at MetroHealth. He previously served as division director, department chair, chief medical officer and chief quality officer for the system and was recently inducted into the MetroHealth Medical Hall of Honor. Dr. Lam, a graduate of Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine, is a nephrologist and educator. The two met during their residency training at MetroHealth and married in 1978. They joined the faculty at MetroHealth and CWRU in 1981.

“The generosity displayed by Dr. Connors and Dr. Lam sends a powerful message and sets the tone for our fundraising campaign moving forward,” said MetroHealth President and CEO Akram Boutros, MD, FACHE. “With this collection of endowments, these two physician leaders have raised the bar for philanthropic engagement.”

In addition to raising money for education and research, the “For All of Us” campaign focuses on advancing health equity, nurturing community well-being and cultivating neighborhood prosperity.

The endowments – five supporting research and one supporting teaching – are as follows:

“This is part of supporting the MetroHealth Transformation,” Dr. Connors said. “Rather than putting our money into new buildings, we thought we’d support the people in those buildings. This gift will help attract excellent faculty and support innovative research and teaching.”

Dr. Lam added, “We wanted to honor our parents by creating endowments in their names to support scholarship, teaching, and research. They were always strong advocates of education, and would have been proud to support these causes. These gifts also reflect our own pride in MetroHealth: It has been a privilege to serve the mission of this institution over the years. We are grateful for the care it has provided for our community and for our family.”

]]>Press,Release,headlineTue, 10 Apr 2018 16:22:55 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_connorslamcovershot-2.jpg?10000The MetroHealth System Releases Results of Community Health Needs Assessmenthttp://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-releases-results-of--community-health-needs-assessment/
http://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-releases-results-of--community-health-needs-assessment/Study identifies Cuyahoga County’s most pressing health-related needsThe MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>The MetroHealth System released the results of its Community Health Needs Assessment, a study launched to better understand the health-related needs of Cuyahoga County residents. Based on the results of the study, MetroHealth has committed to focus on five priorities for its community engagement activities. Those areas are:

Infant mortality

The opioid epidemic

Racial and ethnic disparities in chronic disease outcomes for patients

Community building in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood

Addressing community trauma in East Side neighborhoods

Working with the Center for Community Solutions, MetroHealth examined data on factors that influence health, overall health outcomes and unmet needs of the community. Conduent Healthy Communities Institute provided additional guidance and feedback.

The Community Engagement Committee of the MetroHealth Board of Trustees commissioned the study and led the effort to identify Cuyahoga County’s most pressing needs. Though MetroHealth already has several programs in place to address some of these needs, the study confirms those needs and points to others. MetroHealth plans to develop specific strategies to address the priorities and identify metrics to measure results.

]]>Press,Release,headlineFri, 30 Mar 2018 09:12:52 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_presspageimage.jpg?10000The MetroHealth System earns “LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Leader” designation in HRC Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Indexhttp://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-earns-lgbtq-healthcare-equality-leader-designation-in-hrc-foundations-healthcare-equality-index/
http://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-earns-lgbtq-healthcare-equality-leader-designation-in-hrc-foundations-healthcare-equality-index/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>Today, The MetroHealth System announced its “LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Leader” designation from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC). The designation was awarded in the 11th edition of the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), released today. A record 626 healthcare facilities actively participated in the HEI 2018 survey, with HRC Foundation proactively researching key policies at more than 900 additional non-participating hospitals. Of those included in the HEI, 418 earned a “LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Leader” designation.

The 11th edition of the HEI marks the second year that participants are given a numerical score based on their LGBTQ-inclusive policies and practices. HEI participants are given scores in four criteria: foundational elements of LGBTQ patient-centered care, LGBTQ Patient Services and Support, Employee Benefits and Policies and LGBTQ Patient and Community Engagement. Participants that receive the maximum score in each section earn the coveted status of “2018 LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Leader.”

In the 2018 report, an impressive 418 facilities earned HRC’s “LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Leader” designation with a score of 100. Another 95 facilities earned the “Top Performer” designation for scoring from 80 to 95 points. With 82 percent of participating facilities scoring 80 points or more, healthcare facilities are going beyond the basics when it comes to adopting policies and practices in LGBTQ care.

Of the hospitals who did not participate in the HEI but were scored based on research, only 63 percent have patient non-discrimination policies that include both “sexual orientation” and “gender identity,” and only 53 percent were found to have an LGBTQ-inclusive employment non-discrimination policy. The equal visitation policy, at 93 percent, is the only one that comes close to matching the rate of the participating facilities.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the education arm of America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

]]>Press,ReleaseTue, 27 Mar 2018 12:00:00 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_3-27-2018hrcequalityindex2018.jpg?10000City of Cleveland & MetroHealth host Unidos por Puerto Rico Health & Wellness Fairhttp://news.metrohealth.org/city-of-cleveland--metrohealth-host-unidos-por-puerto-rico-health--wellness-fair/
http://news.metrohealth.org/city-of-cleveland--metrohealth-host-unidos-por-puerto-rico-health--wellness-fair/To support Puerto Rican citizens relocating to Cleveland area because of Hurricane MariaThe MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>The City of Cleveland and The MetroHealth System are co-hosting a free health and wellness fair for Puerto Rican citizens relocating to the Cleveland area because of Hurricane Maria. The event will take place Saturday, March 3, from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at Lincoln-West High School, located at 3202 W 30th Street, Cleveland.

More than 15 social service agencies, local businesses, and faith-based leaders from across Greater Cleveland are participating, including:

CareSource, Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland, Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, Cleveland Department of Aging, El Barrio, Hispanic Police Officers Association Cleveland, La Sagrada Familia, American Red Cross, Spanish American Committee, US Bank, Ohio Department of Transportation, Hispanic Alliance, Julia de Burgos, and Cleveland Department of Health. The MetroHealth Enrollment Outreach Mobile Unit will be on site to help with financial assistance and enrollment in publicly funded health care programs within the Health Care Exchange; healthcare.gov, Medicare, and Medicaid. The MetroHealth School Health Program mobile unit will also be on site to share information about their program.

]]>Press,Release,headlineTue, 27 Feb 2018 00:00:00 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_unidosporpuertoricoeventlogo.jpg?10000The MetroHealth System Part of National Institutes of Health Study Showing that Induced Labor After 39 Weeks in Healthy Women May Reduce Need for C Sectionhttp://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-part-of-national-institutes-of-health-study-showing-that-induced-labor-after-39-weeks-in-healthy-women-may-reduce-need-for-c-section/
http://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-part-of-national-institutes-of-health-study-showing-that-induced-labor-after-39-weeks-in-healthy-women-may-reduce-need-for-c-section/Approach may also reduce risk of preeclampsia, need for newborn respiratory supportThe MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>Healthy first-time mothers whose labor was induced in the 39th week of pregnancy were less likely to have a cesarean delivery, compared to a similar group who were not electively induced at 39 weeks, according to a National Institutes of Health study. MetroHealth patients, under the direction of Edward Chien, MD, OBGYN, participated in the research, along with 39 other hospitals from around the country.

Women in the induced group were also less likely to experience pregnancy-related blood pressure disorders, such as preeclampsia, and their infants were less likely to need help breathing in the first three days.

The study results were presented today during the annual meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

Current guidelines recommend against elective induction of labor—inducing labor without a medical reason—in women in their first pregnancy prior to 41 weeks because of concern of increased need for cesarean delivery. Elective induction at 39 weeks, however, has become more common in recent years.

“Many people believe that induction of labor increases your chance of having a C-section and are also concerned that it may increase the risk to their child,” says Dr. Chien. “This study demonstrates that the overall risk for C-section is actually lower if induced than if you waited for labor to occur on its own.”

NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) funded this study to determine whether elective induction is beneficial or harmful compared to expectant management (waiting for labor to begin naturally and intervening if problems occur).

More than 6,100 first-time mothers in the NICHD Maternal Fetal Medicine Units Network – of which MetroHealth is a part of – were randomly assigned to induced labor or to expectant management. Cesarean delivery was less frequent in the induced labor group (19 percent) versus the expectant management group (22 percent). Preeclampsia and gestational hypertension occurred in 9 percent of the induced group and 14 percent of the expectant management group. Among newborns, 3 percent in the induced group needed respiratory support, compared to 4 percent in the expectant management group.

As far as how the study’s results will impact the doctor-patient relationship, “patients want to have control over their pregnancy,” Dr. Chien explains. “Up until now, many providers were hesitant to electively deliver women. This data provides evidence for allowing elective induction of labor in those individuals who choose it. I think patients will appreciate the greater autonomy.”

]]>Press,ReleaseThu, 01 Feb 2018 14:00:00 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_mh-panorama3-test-retnocrain.jpg?10000The MetroHealth System Earns HIMSS Analytics Revalidation as a Stage 7 Hospital and Outpatient Network for Use of Electronic Medical Recordshttp://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-earns-himss-analytics-revalidation-as-a-stage-7-hospital-and-outpatient-network-for-use-of-electronic-medical-records/
http://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-earns-himss-analytics-revalidation-as-a-stage-7-hospital-and-outpatient-network-for-use-of-electronic-medical-records/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) has revalidated The MetroHealth System as a Stage 7 hospital and outpatient network for the sophistication of its electronic medical records (EMR). The revalidation was tracked by the Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM) and the Outpatient Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (O-EMRAM).

Increasing access to patient self-scheduling and implementing a “fast pass” feature that automatically notifies patients if earlier appointments become available. Each one percent increase in self-scheduling has been demonstrated to generate $15,000 in revenue and decrease $10,000 in staff expenses annually.

Increasing the exchange of health information. MetroHealth exchanges more than 5 million documents per year with other systems including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration. This increased communication leads to better care: In upwards of 80 percent of cases, tests that otherwise would have been ordered are successfully scheduled. The collaboration also has reduced unnecessary inpatient admissions by about 15 percent.

“We are proud to lead the way toward high-quality, patient-centered and technology-enabled care," said Chief Medical Informatics Officer and Vice President of Health Informatics and Patient Engagement David Kaelber, MD, PhD, MPH. “Being among the first health care systems to achieve and be revalidated as a HIMSS Stage 7 organization, acknowledges MetroHealth's leadership and commitment to pushing the use of electronic health records for the benefit of our patients, our health care system, Northeast Ohio and beyond."

“There are many capabilities and services offered by The MetroHealth System. What I found most notable is the delivery of these services to patient populations that are often overlooked. You have deployed your EMR tools to the County Jail, for all foster children and have a focus on the LGBT community. This is impressive service to your community,” said Philip Bradley, regional director of North America, HIMSS Analytics.

HIMSS Analytics will recognize The MetroHealth System at the 2018 HIMSS Conference & Exhibition, held March 5-9, 2018, at the Venetian-Palazzo-Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Visit the HIMSS Analytics website for more information on the health care provider maturity models and Stage 7 award.

]]>Press,Release,headlineThu, 01 Feb 2018 09:00:00 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_stockccp.jpg?10000The MetroHealth System Announces Opening of New Hospitals in Cleveland Heights and Parmahttp://news.metrohealth.org/the-announces-opening-of--new-hospitals-in-cleveland-heights-and-parma/
http://news.metrohealth.org/the-announces-opening-of--new-hospitals-in-cleveland-heights-and-parma/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>The MetroHealth System’s new hospitals in Cleveland Heights and Parma will open for patients the first week of January.

The Parma facility at 12301 Snow Road will welcome patients on January 3. Sixteen private patient rooms are now at the site, which also has an emergency department, surgery center and medical offices.

The Cleveland Heights facility at 10 Severance Circle will accept patients on January 4. Twelve private patient rooms are at the site, also home to an emergency department and medical offices.

The hospitals are designed to treat patients with less complex conditions, requiring short hospital stays. Patients needing more intensive specialty care can access MetroHealth’s main hospital campus, which is less than 12 miles away from Cleveland Heights and Parma. Eighty percent of residents in Cuyahoga County now live within a 15-minute drive of a MetroHealth hospital.

“These hospitals allow us to give patients what they prefer – access to greater levels of care, in their own communities,” said Bernard Boulanger, MD, executive vice president and chief clinical officer of MetroHealth.

The new hospitals’ private rooms offer many amenities including ample space to accommodate family members. The units are designed to create a soothing atmosphere and mirror the esthetics of MetroHealth’s Critical Care Pavilion, which opened in 2016.

The facilities in Cleveland Heights and Parma were formerly HealthSpan urgent care sites and medical offices. In 2015, MetroHealth entered into an agreement with HealthSpan to transition the sites into MetroHealth facilities, ensuring that all residents of those communities have around-the-clock access to emergency care, observation units and other specialty services. The emergency departments opened in February 2016, followed by medical offices in April 2016.

]]>Press,Release,headlineWed, 03 Jan 2018 14:58:12 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_bannersmhexteriorrev4x8.jpg?10000New Members Join The MetroHealth System Board of Trusteeshttp://news.metrohealth.org/new-members-join-the-metrohealth-system-board-of-trustees/
http://news.metrohealth.org/new-members-join-the-metrohealth-system-board-of-trustees/Arlene Anderson and Robert Hurwitz chosen to fill open positionsThe MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>Arlene Anderson and Robert Hurwitz have been appointed to The MetroHealth System’s Board of Trustees. Cuyahoga County Council voted to approve the members at a meeting on Tuesday, November 28.

Arlene Anderson joins the Board, serving a term ending February 28, 2021. She is the founder and president of Minority Business Solutions, Inc. (MBS), a full-service diversity-consulting firm. The company works to strategically increase the participation of small businesses in three main areas: diversity program design, monitoring/compliance services and business development.

Anderson serves on various committees and boards to address inclusion of small, minority and female companies in the construction and supply chain industry. She is the first black woman to lead the Black Trades Council of Ohio, Inc. as Executive Director. She is Secretary of the Cleveland Branch NAACP and serves as the Interim Executive Director. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the American Contract Compliance Association, Council of Economic Opportunities for Greater Cleveland (CEOGC), the East Cleveland Public Library and Black Women’s Political Action Committee.

Anderson has a degree in Health Care Administration from Kent State University and resides in Cleveland.

Robert Hurwitz joins the Board, serving a term ending March 1, 2020. His career as a Cleveland entrepreneur spans nearly five decades, founding and leading companies including OfficeMax, Inc., The Coral Company, HomePlace, Inc, Professional Housewares and Incentive Consultants. He has dedicated many years to assisting other entrepreneurs in developing businesses and is a member of the JumpStart Board of Directors, where he is active in its successful mentoring program.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Hurwitz graduated from the Bernard Baruch School of Business at City College of New York with a bachelor of arts degree in international trade. He has been involved in many community and non-profit boards in the areas of education, business, medicine and community building, where he is focused on helping businesses become more inclusive and diverse, while attracting young talent to Cleveland. He believes that involvement and philanthropy are key to building the community and country we live in.

Hurwitz is a strong Cleveland supporter and resides in Pepper Pike with his wife, Susan.

"It is my true pleasure to welcome Ms. Anderson an Mr. Hurwitz to the Board,” said Thomas McDonald, Chairman of The MetroHealth System Board of Trustees. “Both are personally committed to MetroHealth’s values and are passionate about our mission.”

Cuyahoga County Council also reappointed current board members John Moss, Terry Monnolly, JB Silvers and Vanessa Whiting at the November 28 meeting.

]]>Press,Release,headlineMon, 04 Dec 2017 09:48:28 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_stockccp.jpg?10000The MetroHealth System Names Larry Chadwick Vice President, Hospital Operationshttp://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-names-larry-chadwick--vice-president-hospital-operations/
http://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-names-larry-chadwick--vice-president-hospital-operations/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>The MetroHealth System has selected Larry Chadwick as vice president, hospital operations. He will partner with Melissa Kline, RN, vice president and chief nursing officer, to oversee all operations of MetroHealth’s inpatient facilities. Chadwick will report to the system’s dyad leadership, Bernard Boulanger, MD, senior vice president and chief clinical officer and Daniel Lewis, senior vice president and chief operating officer.

Chadwick joins the health system as MetroHealth is bringing hospital care closer to home for Cuyahoga County residents. In January 2018, private hospital rooms will open at the Cleveland Heights and Parma-Snow Road facilities. Chadwick will oversee the operations of these new hospitals, in addition to the operations of the main hospital on the West 25th Street campus and the rehabilitation hospital at the Old Brooklyn campus. He will also be responsible for the departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Radiology, Emergency Services, Environmental Services, Food Services and Textile Care.

Chadwick has more than 20 years’ experience in health care administration at academic medical centers, community hospitals and large physician practices. Most recently, he served as Cardiovascular Service Line Market Leader for Ascension Wisconsin, a 25-hospital system and part of Ascension Health, the largest non-profit health system in the U.S. Prior to Ascension, Chadwick served as executive director, Heart and Vascular Center and Orthopaedic & Musculoskeletal at Cleveland Clinic in Akron. In this role, he provided executive oversight and strategic direction for the two service lines in partnership with physician leadership.

His affiliations include membership in the American College of Healthcare Executives, American Association of Orthopaedic Executives, Healthcare Financial Management Association, the Association of Healthcare Executives of Ohio, American College of Cardiology and the National Association of Health Services Executives. He also is active on several boards, serving as chair of the Akron Urban League, on the executive leadership team of the American Heart Association, as a member of the board for the Akron Zoo, and as a member of the advisory boards for the University of Akron and Stark State College.

Chadwick earned his undergraduate degree in Public Health and his Masters of Healthcare Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and his Masters of Business Administration degree in Strategic Healthcare Management from Rutgers University in New Jersey. In 2015, he was selected as one of six people in the U.S. to serve as the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Thomas C. Dolan Executive Diversity Scholar. This year-long development program prepares diverse leaders to ascend to C-suite roles in health care.

]]>Press,ReleaseTue, 14 Nov 2017 11:12:07 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_chadwick-larry.jpg?10000MetroHealth Care Partners ACO Receives Medicare Shared Savingshttp://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-care-partners-aco-receives-medicare-shared-savings/
http://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-care-partners-aco-receives-medicare-shared-savings/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

In the 2016 performance year, MetroHealth Care Partners delivered cost control at 8.1 percent below CMS’ benchmark. It also achieved a quality score of 96 percent. As a result, CMS saved $9.1 million and MetroHealth received $4.3 million as its share of the savings.

Medicare ACOs are groups of doctors, hospitals and other health care providers who come together voluntarily to provide coordinated care to their Medicare patients. The goal is to ensure that patients, especially the chronically ill, get the right care at the right time while avoiding unnecessary duplication of services and preventing medical errors. When an ACO exceeds quality and financial thresholds set up by CMS, it is able to share in the savings generated for Medicare. These thresholds demonstrate achievement of high-quality care and wiser spending of health care dollars.

MetroHealth’s Population Health Innovation Institute led the cost savings and quality improvement initiatives, which resulted in the shared savings. The Institute focuses on process, including care coordination for every single patient enrolled in the ACO. The Institute develops programs that help people stay healthy and navigate through the health system easier.

“The important message here is that we are ensuring these Medicare patients in Cuyahoga County are receiving the care they need when they need it,” said Akram Boutros, MD, FACHE, president and CEO of MetroHealth. “And, on top of that, MetroHealth is saving taxpayers millions of dollars by focusing on maintaining good health and not just treating illness. That’s the good that comes from transforming health care delivery.”

The MetroHealth System began MetroHealth Care Partners in January 2014. ACOs must meet quality standards to ensure that savings are achieved through improving care coordination and providing care that is appropriate, safe, and timely. CMS evaluates ACO quality performance using 34 quality measures, which include patient and caregiver experience, care coordination and patient safety, appropriate use of preventive health service, and improved care for at-risk populations.

]]>Press,ReleaseMon, 16 Oct 2017 16:55:27 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_stockccp.jpg?10000The MetroHealth System Shows Commitment to Revitalize the Local Neighborhood with Opening of Dialysis Center on West 25th Streethttp://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-shows-commitment-to-revitalize-the-local-neighborhood-with-opening-of-dialysis-center-on-west-25th-street/
http://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-shows-commitment-to-revitalize-the-local-neighborhood-with-opening-of-dialysis-center-on-west-25th-street/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>The MetroHealth System is announcing the opening of a new dialysis center at 3280 West 25th Street, across from its main campus. The opening marks one of the first examples of the health system’s commitment to the revitalization of West 25th Street and the surrounding neighborhoods as part of its campus transformation.

The 9,800-square-foot center, the Ohio Renal Care Group at Farnsworth, will be able to treat up to 200 kidney patients a week. It is a partnership among MetroHealth, Cleveland Clinic and Fresenius Kidney Care. The open, modern facility has treatment rooms that offer Wi-Fi and heated massage chairs. The center strives to empower people to live the healthiest, fullest way possible – with kidney disease treatments that fit in with life. It will focus on giving patients the ability to individualize their care, by catering to their physical and emotional needs as they endure treatment.

MetroHealth’s Dr. Marcia Silver will serve as medical director of the facility.

]]>Press,ReleaseMon, 09 Oct 2017 16:35:32 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_dh8de3oxcaawaiy.jpg?10000The MetroHealth System Receives $1.9 Million Grant to Combat Opioid Epidemic in Cuyahoga Countyhttp://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-receives-19-million-grant-to-combat-opioid-epidemic-in-cuyahoga-county/
http://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-receives-19-million-grant-to-combat-opioid-epidemic-in-cuyahoga-county/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

The four-year award will establish the MetroHealth First Responders Project (FRP). The project will seek to increase access to naloxone kits countywide, provide education and training to law enforcement and lay responders, and increase access to treatment and recovery for overdose survivors and their families.

Emily Metz, MPH, program coordinator for Project DAWN, will serve as project director of FRP. Working closely with MetroHealth's Office of Opioid Safety and Cuyahoga County Project DAWN, Metz will oversee the creation and implementation of each aspect of the FRP’s strategies to decrease overdoses across Cuyahoga County.

Since 2007, opioid overdose has been the leading cause of injury death across Ohio. In 2016 alone, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s office reported 557 opioid-related deaths, more than doubling the record-setting numbers from 2015.

In recent years, limited funding combined with high demand in communities hardest hit by the opioid epidemic, has resulted in growing shortages and unmet needs for law enforcement agencies. In 2016, agencies requested more than 1,300 intranasal naloxone kits from the Cuyahoga County Board of Health. However, its available funding only allowed for the purchase of approximately 900.

The FRP's resources will fill in these gaps and expand access to more communities throughout the region. The project plans to distribute 1,600 additional naloxone kits to opioid users and their families annually. Further, FRP resources will be used to ensure that at least 95 percent of law enforcement agencies across Cuyahoga County are carrying and distributing naloxone by January 2019.

In addition to purchasing and distributing naloxone to more agencies, the program will increase efforts to train citizens on how to reverse overdoses with naloxone. Program staff will offer yearly web-based and in-person training on overdose response and naloxone administration to 100 percent of Cuyahoga County's law enforcement agencies. The grant's funding will also allow Project DAWN to hire another full-time staff member who will expand existing overdose prevention offerings.

The FRP's final goal is providing pathways into treatment for overdose survivors. This objective will be achieved through the FRP’s Hope after Overdose Outreach Project (HOOP). The HOOP team will consist of a social worker and area police officers who will visit survivors' homes within seven days of an overdose. The teams will provide information and direct pathways to treatment, education on overdose response and free naloxone kits. If survivors are prepared to enter treatment, quick response teams will guide them into the treatment process.

]]>Press,ReleaseMon, 02 Oct 2017 17:16:34 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_stockpicoftowers.jpg?10000 Cleveland Clinic and The MetroHealth System Receive Grant to Enhance Heart Disease Risk Calculatorshttp://news.metrohealth.org/cleveland-clinic-and-the-metrohealth-system-receive-grant--to-enhance-heart-disease-risk-calculators/
http://news.metrohealth.org/cleveland-clinic-and-the-metrohealth-system-receive-grant--to-enhance-heart-disease-risk-calculators/$2.2 Million National Institute on Aging Award to Develop New Model Incorporating Environmental and Neighborhood-Level CharacteristicsThe MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>Following its study showing that current clinical prediction models underestimate cardiovascular risk in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods, a research team led by investigators from Cleveland Clinic and The MetroHealth System has been awarded a $2.2 million National Institute on Aging grant to reduce health disparities for patients at risk for heart disease.

The award supports the development of a comprehensive risk calculator that incorporates an individual’s clinical risk factors in addition to environmental and neighborhood-level characteristics to better predict major cardiovascular disease, such as stroke and heart attack. Current risk assessment tools rely on clinical indicators alone such as weight, age and smoking history, and do not consider factors associated with where patients live.

“Poorer Americans are more likely to suffer from heart attacks and stroke, and are expected to live 10 fewer years than wealthier Americans,” said Jarrod Dalton, Ph.D., of Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute and co-primary investigator of the grant. “Accurate risk assessment is critical for identifying high-risk patients so that prevention strategies or targeted therapies can be used. We aim to understand better the complexity of residential, economic and clinical factors, and how they contribute to cardiovascular disease risk.”

The four-year grant is based on the team’s recently published paper in Annals of Internal Medicine analyzing electronic health data of nearly 110,000 Cleveland Clinic patients. The team found that current models severely underestimate risk in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods.

The study showed that in patients from poorer communities, major cardiovascular events occurred at more than twice the rates predicted by existing risk assessment tools. According to the researchers, socioeconomic inequalities in healthcare are complex and could be related to barriers such as environmental exposure to toxins, financial stress, less healthy eating options and lack of safe places to exercise.

To develop the statistical model, the team will establish a new combined research registry based on electronic health records of more than 200,000 Cleveland Clinic and MetroHealth patients. They will supplement that data with neighborhood-level information from the U.S. Census Bureau and other government organizations. They will overlay this data to build a new comprehensive, systems-based tool for risk prediction.

“Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death for most Americans,” said MetroHealth’s Adam T. Perzynski, Ph.D., co-principal investigator. “Our collaboration on this project will help healthcare providers identify which of their patients could have poor heart disease outcomes. By incorporating non-clinical factors related to where people live, we can enhance personalized approach and target more effective interventions for specific subpopulations, and, ultimately reduce health disparities.”

The research team includes faculty from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences. The NIA grant number is R01AG055480.

]]>Press,ReleaseMon, 02 Oct 2017 17:12:34 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_stockccp.jpg?10000Turner Construction Company Selected as Construction Manager for MetroHealth’s Campus Transformationhttp://news.metrohealth.org/turner-construction-company-selected-as-construction-manager-for--metrohealths-campus-transformation/
http://news.metrohealth.org/turner-construction-company-selected-as-construction-manager-for--metrohealths-campus-transformation/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>Turner Construction Company will lead the construction management of The MetroHealth System’s campus transformation, which includes the construction of a new 270-room hospital on its West 25th Street main campus, a connector building to the existing Critical Care Pavilion and a central utility plant. Turner’s proposed team includes four local partners, including three minority-owned firms. Together, the team committed to implementing a community plan that will help MetroHealth reach its diversity goals and strengthen the local economy. MetroHealth’s Board of Trustees approved hiring the companies at its regularly scheduled board meeting last night.

“Turner has vast experience in health care construction management. They have the expertise and knowledge to undertake a project as important as MetroHealth’s nearly $1 billion campus transformation,” said Walter Jones, senior vice president of campus transformation at MetroHealth. “The construction support of the locally-owned companies allows us bring more jobs to the area while staying committed to diversity. All companies have a robust respect for the impact the project will have on the community.”

“We’re excited to be part of the team on MetroHealth’s campus transformation,” said Jason Jones, vice president and general manager of Turner Cleveland. “As the top health care builder, projects like these are our specialty. We’ll use a lean construction process, and draw from both our local technical expertise and national best practices to deliver a high-quality health care facility for MetroHealth’s patients, staff and visitors.”

The companies will spend the next year in pre-construction planning, working with Hammel, Green and Abrahamson Inc. (HGA), the company chosen as the master architect and engineer for the campus transformation project. In that time, a new 1500-car parking garage is being built on MetroHealth’s main campus. The garage will replace the current Southpoint garage, which is the site of the future new hospital tower.

A space on the ground floor of a building on MetroHealth’s main campus has been designated as construction headquarters for all the companies. The shared location was designed for improved communication and collaboration, which will result in time and cost savings.

Four firms responded to a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the Construction Manager role. Turner’s proposal included the four local partners. Turner has been building in Northeast Ohio for 110 years, and has completed numerous health care construction projects locally. They are currently managing the construction of MetroHealth’s new hospitals in Cleveland Heights and Parma, set to open in January 2018.

According to a report from Cleveland State University’s Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, MetroHealth’s transformation planmaysupportup to5,618 new and existing jobsthat couldresult in $873.3 million in total output of economic benefit for Cuyahoga County. The study says the city of Cleveland would see most of the impact, with more than 3,200 jobs supported and a total economic benefit of more than $513 million.

]]>Press,Release,headlineThu, 28 Sep 2017 10:39:41 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_4.032-metrohealthfirststage3hires-1.jpg?10000Hammes Company Selected as Owner’s Rep for MetroHealth’s Campus Transformationhttp://news.metrohealth.org/hammes-company-selected-as-owners-rep-for--metrohealths-campus-transformation/
http://news.metrohealth.org/hammes-company-selected-as-owners-rep-for--metrohealths-campus-transformation/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>The MetroHealth System has selected Hammes Company, the nation’s leading healthcare facilities development company, as the Owner’s Rep for the campus transformation. Hammes Company has a rich project history of managing large capital redevelopment programs for hospital systems in the United States, with experience managing more than 57 million square feet of complex expansion, renovation, replacement and greenfield campus development projects. In this role for MetroHealth, the firm will oversee all project management aspects of the construction, ensuring that plans are completed on schedule. Local firms Moody Nolan and Signet will partner with Hammes Company in the Owner’s Rep role. MetroHealth’s Board of Trustees approved hiring the companies at its regularly scheduled board meeting last night.

MetroHealth is delivering on its commitment to making diversity and local hiring top priorities in the construction of the new campus. Moody Nolan is the largest African-American owned and operated architecture firm in the country. The firm managed the renovation of the MetroHealth Lyndhurst Health Center in 2016. Signet is a Cleveland-based firm, which served as the Owner’s Rep for the building of the MetroHealth Brecksville Health and Surgery Center.

The three firms will work from a new space on the ground floor of a building at MetroHealth’s main campus that has been designated as construction headquarters. The shared location was designed for improved communication and collaboration, which will result in time and cost savings.

]]>Press,Release,headlineThu, 28 Sep 2017 10:38:04 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_4.032-siteplan-16-1117-4.jpg?10000New Case Western Reserve University, MetroHealth System Affiliation Expands Opportunities for Dental students, Oral-Health Services for Patientshttp://news.metrohealth.org/new-case-western-reserve-university-metrohealth-system-affiliation-expands-opportunities-for-dental-students-oral-health-services-for-patients/
http://news.metrohealth.org/new-case-western-reserve-university-metrohealth-system-affiliation-expands-opportunities-for-dental-students-oral-health-services-for-patients/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>A new affiliation between Case Western Reserve University and The MetroHealth System aligns the university’s School of Dental Medicine (SDM) with Cleveland’s public hospital system to provide a range of oral health services to the Greater Cleveland community. Additionally, expanded clinical and research opportunities will be available for dental students and residents.

The new master affiliation agreement, signed this week, is effective immediately.

Case Western Reserve and MetroHealth have long maintained an affiliation through CWRU’s School of Medicine and other health-related schools and centers within the university. The new affiliation with the SDM will strengthen and broaden the existing relationship.

Under the new affiliation agreement, all SDM students will have the opportunity to train at MetroHealth’s Department of Dentistry. Supervised by MetroHealth personnel, dental students and residents will provide patient care from general dentistry and oral surgery to pediatric dentistry and other potential services.

Patients of the SDM’s Oral and Maxillofacial Department, for example, are treated by dental students, surgical residents or faculty. Residents and staff provide a range of surgical services, from tooth extractions and jaw and face reconstruction to facial plastic surgery, oral cancer management and management of cleft lip/palate and other craniofacial abnormalities.

A CWRU associate dean will be appointed to manage all programming. A chair to be recruited for MetroHealth’s Department of Dentistry will also serve as the division chief for the SDM.

“Case Western Reserve and The MetroHealth System share common goals and commitments to the highest standards of performance in education, research and patient care,” said Kenneth Chance, dean of the School of Dental Medicine. “We are pleased to partner with The MetroHealth System to enhance dental education for both institutions and provide exceptional oral health care for the community.”

“MetroHealth is an academic health system that is committed to serving our community,” said Bernard Boulanger, MD, executive vice president and chief clinical officer of MetroHealth. “This new affiliation with Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine enables us to work together on a shared mission.”

“The affiliation presents another opportunity for our graduate students and individuals in residency programs in various specialties to expand their clinical experience,” said Dale Baur, professor and chair of the School of Dental Medicine’s Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. “The relationship will also help the Greater Cleveland community, so it’s a win-win. They have a wealth of patients who could really benefit from our services.”

The SDM and MetroHealth also will explore additional opportunities for collaboration.

]]>Press,ReleaseMon, 25 Sep 2017 15:22:07 -0400https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1878.png?10000RTA and MetroHealth partner to rebrand the 51 bus linehttp://news.metrohealth.org/rta-and-metrohealth-partner-to-rebrand-the-51-bus-line/
http://news.metrohealth.org/rta-and-metrohealth-partner-to-rebrand-the-51-bus-line/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) today announced a new partnership with the MetroHealth System to rebrand the number 51 family of routes.

Beginning this fall, the rebranded route will offer commuters an upgraded ride on 20 new, specially designed vehicles fully branded with the MetroHealth logo. More than 400 bus stop signs and 37 shelters will also display the new logo along the routes.

The 51-A, 51-B and 51-C operate more than 200 bus trips per day and link the MetroHealth campus with both Downtown Cleveland to the north and the neighborhoods and suburbs to the south.

“The number 51 bus route serves the West 25th Street Corridor and is among the most popular routes in the RTA system. It serves 2.1 million customers each year,” said RTA CEO and General Manager Joe Calabrese. “Most of the routes run 24/7 and have the second-highest bus ridership in the RTA system, second only to the HealthLine,” Calabrese said.

“We have a shared vision with RTA about creating a better West 25th Street and a more livable Cleveland,” said Akram Boutros, MD, President and CEO of MetroHealth. “The MetroHealth Line is one of the first steps of where we want to go with our campus transformation. We are not just building a new hospital, we are creating a livable green space for the community, and now we have a way to help all people get there.”

Revenue from the MetroHealth Line sponsorship will be used to upgrade landscaping and bus stations along the route.

RTA is also working with the funders, the City and the neighborhoods to add some exclusive rush-hour bus lanes and traffic signal prioritization, with the goal to make the MetroHealth Line faster and more reliable.

Background

In 2008, RTA became the first transit system in the nation to sell naming rights sponsorships to its assets. That was for the HealthLine.

“Since its launch, the HealthLine has seen annual ridership increase by 60 percent and has generated more than $6.3 billion in economic development along Euclid Avenue,” Calabrese said.

In December 2014, RTA launched the Cleveland State Line, serving Downtown and several West Side communities. Since then, ridership has almost doubled.

]]>Press,ReleaseMon, 25 Sep 2017 15:20:44 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_metrohealth-line-shelter-2.jpg?10000Cleveland partnership selected to participate in nationwide 'BUILD Health Challenge'http://news.metrohealth.org/cleveland-partnership-selected-to-participate-in-nationwide-build-health-challenge/
http://news.metrohealth.org/cleveland-partnership-selected-to-participate-in-nationwide-build-health-challenge/Two-year grant brings together community organizations to healthy housingThe MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>The MetroHealth System is part of a Cleveland partnership chosen to participate in the nationwide “Build Health Challenge.” The Cleveland Healthy Home Data Collaborative (CHHDC) has been selected by a coalition of 12 funding organizations to participate in the BUILD Health Challenge, a national program that puts multi-sector community partnerships at the foundation of improving health for everyone. The Cleveland-specific project will focus on neighborhood community engagement that enables physicians, public health officials, and the public to easily access collaborative, useful information to address health disparities – with a focus on asthma and lead poisoning.

CHHDC is one of 19 projects selected to participate. BUILD awards funding, capacity building support, and access to a national peer learning network. The program emphasizes cross-sector collaboration among local non-profit organizations, hospitals, and public health departments to address upstream conditions that create opportunities for better health. BUILD selected CHHDC because of its Bold, Upstream, Integrated, Local, and Data-driven (BUILD) ideas to improve the health of its residents.

CHHDC is comprised of Environmental Health Watch, The MetroHealth System, University Hospitals, and the City of Cleveland Department of Public Health. These organizations will work together, with guidance from BUILD advisors, to identify and implement innovative solutions to community challenges. Matching funds from MetroHealth and UH, combined with BUILD’s $250,000 two-year grant, will further extend the partnership’s capacity to help create safer, healthier housing throughout Cleveland.

This project forges a new network in which health and housing groups can affect policy and environment problems in Cleveland. Expected impacts include: increased use of healthy home data; support of healthy housing policy; ability for public health officials to target resources; and code enforcement to areas of greatest need.

“This is a remarkable collaboration among health care entities in the city of Cleveland,” said Adam Perzynski, director of the patient-centered media lab and co-director of population health in the Center for Healthcare Research and Policy at MetroHealth. “We are all doing this for the sake of improving the health of people in Cleveland.” Perzynski is tasked with coordinating the creation of an app that will bring information that will show how healthy a property is and share that information with patients and hospitals in the community.

“Every community faces its own set of challenges and opportunities when it comes to improving the health of its residents,” said Emily Yu, executive director of the BUILD Health Challenge. “With this award, we hope to catalyze the work of The Cleveland Healthy Home Data Collaborative and bring together residents and organizations from across sectors to address the root causes of health issues in Cleveland – and ultimately transform how we think about health in America.”

BUILD seeks to create a new norm in the U.S. by addressing upstream factors affecting health. It is supported by a unique collaborative of local and national funders, which includes the Advisory Board, The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation, the Colorado Health Foundation, the de Beaumont Foundation, The Episcopal Health Foundation, Interact for Health, The Kresge Foundation, Mid-Iowa Health Foundation, New Jersey Health Initiatives, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Telligen Community Initiative, and The W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

]]>Press,ReleaseWed, 13 Sep 2017 10:00:00 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_presspageimage.jpg?10000MetroHealth Appoints Frank Bova as Director and Chief of Public Safetyhttp://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-appoints-frank-bova--as-director-and-chief-of-public-safety/
http://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-appoints-frank-bova--as-director-and-chief-of-public-safety/Former Cuyahoga County Sheriff to lead all safety and security intiativesThe MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>The MetroHealth System has appointed former Sheriff Frank Bova as Director and Chief of Public Safety, effective October 2. He will report to Jane Platten, Associate Chief of Staff.

In this position, Bova will oversee all safety and security initiatives for MetroHealth’s patients, visitors and staff. He will provide strategic and operational direction for the Protective Services Department, which includes more than 75 police and security officers.

Bova currently serves as Cuyahoga County’s Chief Community Safety and Protection Officer, overseeing the Sheriff’s Department, the Clerk of Courts, the Medical Examiner’s Office, Consumer Affairs and the Department of Public Safety.

With more than 30 years in law enforcement, Bova’s roles included Chief of Police of the City of Warrensville Heights, Cuyahoga County Sheriff and 16 years in the City of Cleveland Division of Police.

]]>Press,ReleaseFri, 08 Sep 2017 12:44:18 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_stockpicoftowers.jpg?10000The MetroHealth System Uses Virtual Reality to Practice Brain Surgeryhttp://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-uses-virtual-reality-to-practice-brain-surgery/
http://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-uses-virtual-reality-to-practice-brain-surgery/First hospital in the nation to implement new technology focusing on specific patientsThe MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>The MetroHealth System and ImmersiveTouch, Inc. (ITI) have unveiled a new technology for surgeons to practice complex operations in a 3-D virtual reality environment. MissionRehearsal® enables surgeons to practice on a specific patient’s case prior to the real surgery, using information from the patient’s CT scan, MRI and angiograms. Images are uploaded and the patient’s anatomy is reconstructed in a 3-D model. The surgeon can then create a detailed plan in virtual surgical reality. MetroHealth is the first hospital in the country to install this breakthrough technology.

Ben Roitberg, MD, chair of neurosurgery at MetroHealth, has worked with ImmersiveTouch since 2007 to help develop virtual reality simulations for the next generation of surgeons. Academic institutions around the country have implemented the technology, and thousands of trainees around the world have used it to train using a library of generic cases. Dr. Roitberg brought the breakthrough MissionRehearsal® technology, focusing on specific patients’ brains, to MetroHealth. MetroHealth will continue to develop and refine the technology to further enhance the virtual reality experience for surgeons.

“We are the first company in the nation to integrate surgical training, planning and patient education in a virtual environment with haptic technology. This allows your hand to feel the resistance of a surgery and be able to tell the difference between skin, muscle, and bone,” said Pat Banerjee, PhD, CEO of ImmersiveTouch. “We have created a scalable platform for academic and community hospitals with the flexibility surgeons and patients need. The introduction of MissionRehearsal® means that any health system with an operating room can improve surgical planning and patient education, which can lead to lower cost of care with better outcomes.”

]]>Press,ReleaseFri, 01 Sep 2017 16:40:59 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_ben-roitberg.jpg?10000MetroHealth Chief Nursing Officer Melissa Kline Appointed to the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Commission on Magnet Recognitionhttp://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-chief-nursing-officer-melissa-kline-appointed-to--the-american-nurses-credentialing-center-ancc--commission-on-magnet-recognition/
http://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-chief-nursing-officer-melissa-kline-appointed-to--the-american-nurses-credentialing-center-ancc--commission-on-magnet-recognition/The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>Melissa Kline, VP and Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), has been appointed to the Commission on Magnet Recognition, a voluntary governing body that oversees the Magnet Recognition Program®. This program recognizes health care organizations for quality patient care, nursing excellence and innovations in professional nursing practice. The commission renders the final decision regarding the designation of the Magnet® credential, and provides a mechanism for the systematic review and evaluation of the strategic direction of the Magnet Recognition Program. She will be one of two CNOs and one of twelve on the Commission.

Kline’s work has helped in securing MetroHealth’s Magnet® designation for three consecutive reviews. In its most recent review in 2015, MetroHealth achieved Magnet redesignation with six exemplars under her leadership. In this role on the Commission, Kline will help make final decisions regarding other hospitals’ Magnet designation, and will oversee the appeals process for the program.

She began her career at MetroHealth in 1998 as a clinical nurse on the Progressive Cardiac Care Unit and then the Surgical Intensive Care Unit. Prior to becoming VP and CNO in 2015, she served in many leadership capacities, including assistant nurse manager, nurse manager, director of Nurse Staffing Operations, director of Nursing Operations and Professional Development, and associate chief nursing officer.

Kline’s four-year term begins in January 2018.

]]>Press,ReleaseFri, 25 Aug 2017 11:37:14 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_klinemelissa.jpg?10000Dr. David Kaelber Chairs National Committee on Identifying High Blood Pressure in Childrenhttp://news.metrohealth.org/dr-david-kaelber-chairs-national-committee-on-identifying-high-blood-pressure-in-children/
http://news.metrohealth.org/dr-david-kaelber-chairs-national-committee-on-identifying-high-blood-pressure-in-children/Included in a release from the American Academy Of PediatricsDuring a visit to the pediatrician, it’s common for parents to ask if their child’s height and weight is normal for their age range. However, blood pressure doesn’t come up as often.

The American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) Subcommittee on Screening and Management of High Blood Pressure in Children has released the report “Clinical Practice Guideline for Screening and Management of High Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents.” This is the first set of guidelines for high blood pressure in children developed by the Academy. The report will be published in the September 2017 issue of Pediatrics.

An estimated 3.5 percent of all children and adolescents have high blood pressure. The prevalence of pediatric hypertension has increased since 1988, and yet the condition often goes undiagnosed and untreated, according to the report.

“We do a good job of checking blood pressure when patients come to the pediatrician’s office. We have lots of improvement -- especially nationally and even at MetroHealth -- on interpreting the numbers,” said Dr. Kaelber, a MetroHealth pediatrician.

Blood pressure is checked nearly every time a child sees a provider, especially at regular preventive or well child care visits. Although the information is usually recorded, it oftentimes isn’t reviewed as a pattern to see if there is an issue.

The Academy convened a 20-person committee to develop the new evidence-based guidelines on pediatric hypertension, which serve as an update to the most recent set of guidelines, issued in 2004 by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute that was endorsed by AAP. The committee reviewed approximately 15,000 articles published since 2004 as part of its work – including a 2007 study published by Dr. Kaelber and MetroHealth researchers. “Because of our data experience, we have a national role in the way people tackle pediatric hypertension,” he said.

The new report focuses on the diagnosis, evaluation and initial management of abnormal blood pressures in children and adolescents.

The guidelines include new blood pressure tables that are based on normal-weight children. Previously, such tables included blood pressure measurements in children and adolescents who are overweight or obese – a condition that is likely to increase blood pressure. As a result, the new blood pressure values are lower than those used in prior guidelines and allow for a more precise classification of blood pressure according to body size.

“Prevention and early detection are key,” said Dr. Joseph Flynn, who co-chaired the subcommittee. “High blood pressure levels tend to carry into adulthood, raising the risks for cardiovascular disease and other problems. By catching the condition early, we are able to work with the family to manage it, whether that’s through lifestyle changes, medication, or a combination of treatments.”

Start blood pressure-lowering medications if lifestyle changes fail to reduce the blood pressure, or if the child has another condition like diabetes or kidney disease.

Left untreated, uncontrolled long-standing hypertension can have damaging ef­fects on the heart, kidneys, and brain. The first-line treatment remains lifestyle changes, as there is a high correlation between hypertension and obesity.

“If there is diagnosis of hypertension, there are many ways we can treat it. These guidelines offer a renewed opportunity for pediatricians to identify and address this important – and often unrecognized – chronic disease in our patients,” Dr. Kaelber said. “The easy part was developing the new guidelines. Now we begin the harder work of implementing them to help children and adolescents.”

Dr. Kaelber said that for colleagues and providers at MetroHealth, he hopes the new guidelines will make the collection of blood pressure readings in children less complicated. “Let’s collect less data, but more importantly, evaluate it when we do.”

]]>Press,ReleaseMon, 21 Aug 2017 00:00:00 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_kaelberdavid.jpg?10000MetroHealth Appoints Cheryl Forino Wahl, as SVP, Chief Ethics and Compliance Officerhttp://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-appoints-cheryl-forino-wahl--as-svp-chief-ethics-and-compliance-officer/
http://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-appoints-cheryl-forino-wahl--as-svp-chief-ethics-and-compliance-officer/The MetroHealth System has appointed Cheryl Forino Wahl as its first senior vice president and chief ethics and compliance officer, effective July 10. She will report to Akram Boutros, MD, FACHE, president and CEO.

In this newly created position, Cheryl will lead MetroHealth’s comprehensive ethics and compliance program, ensuring a workplace that complies with all legal and regulatory standards in order to protect our patients, visitors and employees. She will validate that MetroHealth’s policies and practices reflect a culture committed to ethical conduct and make certain employees recognize that compliance is more than following the law, but doing the right thing.

“Cheryl has more than 20 years’ experience in health care and is recognized as a Top Ethics and Compliance Officer by Ethisphere Institute. MetroHealth’s Board of Trustees and management are committed to the highest standards of ethical business conduct, and we welcome Cheryl to help lead our efforts,” said Dr. Boutros.

Before joining MetroHealth, she was the chief compliance officer for EnvisionRx Options, a subsidiary of Rite Aid Corporation, and the chief compliance officer for University Hospitals. Additionally, she served as associate general counsel for Jewish Hospital Healthcare Services.

She received a bachelor of arts degree with honors from Colgate University, and a master’s degree in Medical Ethics and law degree from the University of Pittsburgh. She is a member of the Leadership Cleveland Class of 2012 and serves on the board of directors of Gilmour Academy and Saint Martin de Porres High School.

]]>headline,PressFri, 28 Jul 2017 16:40:28 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_stockpicoftowers.jpg?10000Donley’s Selected as Construction Manager at Risk for New Parking Garage on MetroHealth’s Main Campushttp://news.metrohealth.org/donleys-selected-as-construction-manager-at-risk-for-new-parking-garage-on-metrohealths-main-campus/
http://news.metrohealth.org/donleys-selected-as-construction-manager-at-risk-for-new-parking-garage-on-metrohealths-main-campus/Donley’s has been selected as the Construction Manager at Risk, the company which oversees all construction services, for a new 1500-car parking garage on MetroHealth’s West 25th Street main campus. MetroHealth’s Board of Trustees approved the Cleveland-based company at its regularly scheduled board meeting last night.

The seven-level, open-deck garage will be located on the site of the former NorthCoast Behavioral Hospital. It will be designed to accommodate technology to direct drivers to open spaces or read license plates to save employees from idling while they stop to swipe ID badges. It will replace the current Southpoint garage and will be for patients, visitors and employees.

Five companies responded to a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the parking garage’s Construction Manager at Risk. Donley’s was chosen, in part, due to its vast experience building parking decks.

“Donley’s has the experience and knowledge to undertake this important piece of MetroHealth’s transformation,” said Walter Jones, senior vice president of campus transformation at MetroHealth. “We have a track record of working successfully with each other and are looking forward to this next project.”

Donley’s built MetroHealth’s Brecksville Health & Surgery Center, which opened in 2016, a project that was completed under budget and on time. Once the garage is finished, MetroHealth will demolish the current Southpoint Garage to make way for a new, 270 room hospital. The entire campus transformation is set to be complete at the end of 2023.

Construction on the parking garage is set to begin this fall and it is scheduled to open in 2018.

]]>headline,PressThu, 27 Jul 2017 10:03:20 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_newcampuspromisetoprogressthumbnail.jpg?10000The MetroHealth System Named 2017 Most Wiredhttp://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-named-2017-most-wired/
http://news.metrohealth.org/the-metrohealth-system-named-2017-most-wired/Most Wired Hospitals Use Technology to Partner with Patients on HealthFor the fourth consecutive year, The MetroHealth System is being recognized as a Most Wired hospital.

Technology is making it easier for patients and providers to interact, which is improving communication, safety and patient-provider relationships. These new tools are helping patients become more actively involved in their care and maintaining their health, according to results of the 19th Annual Health Care’s Most Wired® survey, released today by the American Hospital Association’s (AHA) Health Forum.

“Being recognized for the fourth year in a row as one of the nation’s Most Wired health care systems shows the steadfast commitment we have to supporting our community through information technology,” says Donald Reichert, Vice President, Chief Information Officer. “As the transformation at MetroHealth continues, an area of focus is to build on are member touch points that will ultimately improve the population health of Northeast Ohio. Tools like telehealth – and the use of data analytics – will allow our patients to benefit from using innovative IT solutions. These technologies help us become connected with each other, and more importantly, with our patients.”

According to the survey, Most Wired hospitals are using smart phones, telehealth and remote monitoring to create more ways for patients to access health care services and capture health information.

This year’s results show:

When patients need ongoing monitoring at home, secure e-mails can be used by patients and families to keep in touch with the care team.

“The Most Wired hospitals are using every available technology option to create more ways to reach their patients in order to provide access to care,” said AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack. “They are transforming care delivery, investing in new delivery models in order to improve quality, provide access and control costs.”Innovation in patient care embraces emerging technologies and underscores the need for secure patient information exchange. Hospitals have increased their use of sophisticated IT monitoring systems to detect patient privacy breaches, monitor for malicious activities or policy violations and produce real-time analysis of security alerts:

Most Wired hospitals are transforming care delivery with knowledge gained from data and analytics. They are investing in analytics to support new delivery models and effective decision-making and training clinicians on how to use analytics to improve quality, provide access and control costs.

MetroHealth:

Analyzes retrospective clinical and administrative data to identify areas for improving quality and reducing the cost of care.

Has started to interface electronic health record data with population health tools for care management.

Uses a patient pathway using health IT data to follow a care plan.

Provides physicians with quality metrics to continuously improve their ways of practicing medicine.

HealthCare’s Most Wired® survey, conducted between Jan. 15 and March 15, 2017, is published annually by Health & Hospitals Networks (H&HN). The 2017 Most Wired® survey and benchmarking study is a leading industry barometer measuring information technology (IT) use and adoption among hospitals nationwide. The survey of 698 participants, representing an estimated 2,158 hospitals — more than 39 percent of all hospitals in the U.S. — examines how organizations are leveraging IT to improve performance for value-based health care in the areas of infrastructure, business and administrative management; quality and safety; and clinical integration.

Detailed results of the survey and study can be found in the July issue of H&HN. For a full list of winners, visit www.hhnmag.com.

]]>Release,Press,headlineMon, 10 Jul 2017 10:38:30 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1878/500_mw-winner2017.jpg?10000MetroHealth Selects Master Architect and Engineer for Campus Transformation http://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-selects-master-architect-and-engineer-for-campus-transformation/
http://news.metrohealth.org/metrohealth-selects-master-architect-and-engineer-for-campus-transformation/Hammel, Green and Abrahamson, Inc. ChosenThe MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, is honoring its commitment to create a healthier community by building a new hospital on its main campus in Cleveland. The building, and the 25 acres of green space around it, are catalyzing the revitalization of MetroHealth’s West Side neighborhood.

MetroHealth will break ground on the new hospital in late 2018, using nearly $1 billion it borrowed on its own credit after dramatically improving its finances. In the past five years, MetroHealth’s operating revenue has increased by 44.5 percent and its number of employees by 21 percent. Today, its staff of 7,700 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. In the past year, MetroHealth has served 300,000 patients at more than 1.4 million visits in its hospitals and health centers, 75 percent of whom are uninsured or covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and the only adult and pediatric burn center in the state of Ohio.

As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health.

]]>Hammel, Green and Abrahamson, Inc. (HGA) will lead the design planning, architecture and engineering of The MetroHealth System’s campus transformation, which includes the construction of a new hospital tower on its West 25th Street main campus. MetroHealth’s Board of Trustees approved the national firm at its regularly scheduled board meeting on June 28.

“HGA demonstrated clearly that it has the motivation, imagination, experience and knowledge to undertake a project as large -- and as important to Cuyahoga County -- as the nearly $1 billion MetroHealth campus transformation,” said Walter Jones, senior vice president of campus transformation at MetroHealth. “This firm truly was the best qualified candidate for the job, and it best understood our goals and aspirations.”

15 firms responded to a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the Master Architect and Engineer of Record. The scope of work outlined in the proposal included the design for a hospital tower, connector building to the existing Critical Care Pavilion and a new central utility plant. All proposals were reviewed and ranked, with the top four firms making in-person presentations to a selection committee.

The new structures assigned to HGA are an integral part of the future of MetroHealth, and make up the majority of the campus transformation project, estimated for completion in 2023.

According to a report from Cleveland State University’s Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, MetroHealth’s transformation plan may support up to 5,618 new and existing jobs that could result in $873.3 million in total output of economic benefit for Cuyahoga County. The study says the city of Cleveland would see most of the impact, with more than 3,200 jobs supported and a total economic benefit of more than $513 million.

Next, MetroHealth will select a Construction Manager at Risk for the new 1200-1500 car parking garage, which it plans to start building at the end of summer.

The Cleveland Heritage Medal was established in 2016 as the highest civilian award in Greater Cleveland. Modeled after the Presidential Medal of Freedom, it recognizes those who have made meritorious contributions to the welfare and development of Cleveland and its citizens and who, as role models, represent the core values of service to others, teamwork, courage, respect, and inclusion and diversity.

The Cleveland Heritage Medal will be bestowed upon the honorees during a luncheon on Thursday, September 14, 2017. Serving as master of ceremonies will be Russ Mitchell, the managing editor of the evening news and lead anchor at WKYC.